Cacao Banana Milkshake [Vegan]

This milkhake is dedicated to chocolatier Jacques Torres and his courageous attempt to smuggle in and cook with cacao nibs in The Food Network’s “Chopped.”

“I go to the pantry, and we have cocoa powder. This is not good enough. I always have some chocolate with me in my pockets.”

I tried to find a video to link to y’all of this great moment, but alas, no luck. Just trust me on the greatness of the moment. Here’s a gif for you, though. Who doesn’t like milkshake gifs?

Now, let’s talk about the milkshake. To start with, it tastes decadent. But it’s surprisingly healthy. I make this vegan, but it can easily be converted if you don’t have almond milk. Just go for regular, low-fat milk.

We freeze our bananas whole and then microwave them just long enough to peel them. It’s really key that the bananas are cold, otherwise this milkshake would get too warm. You could also cut up your bananas before you freeze them, if you don’t want to deal with peeling.

And then there’s the cacao powder. Take note, it’s not cocoa powder — these two are easily confused. You could sub in cacoa nibs if you don’t have the powder. Either way, you’re getting a really rich chocolate taste.

All in all, this is a super easy recipe for a creamy, vegan milkshake. It will help you cool down and satiate a chocolate craving when it pops up.

“It’s hot in here, you know?” Jacques said as he was cooking in the “Chopped” kitchen. “The chocolate kitchen is cold.”